From another thread.....
quote:
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Originally posted by cassp:

One thing that I have trouble with on arrangers is finding a style to go with a song like Crazy Love. Maybe that's why I get frustrated, because these things aren't really made for songs like that - and I like doing songs like that. Last night at band practice we tried to put together the Allman Brothers' Midnight Rider - no luck finding even a compromise style.

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Casp, Coincidentally, I was messing with a style doing midnight rider on the s900 when I changed which ots I was using, changed from key of A to Em, and wound up with the "improv at the pad" which I submitted a few days ago.
I will record it later today, when voice and fingers wake up more, and show the same style used for midnight rider as was used for my Improv.
As UD says you only need a few good styles to do tons and tons of songs. (paraphrased from UD) BTW I REALLY enjoyed your Crazy Love and will also look for a style on the s900 that I would use for it.
Jim

I hope you all Enjoy.
Questions and feedback welcome
Jim http://www.box.net/shared/hpk1ng3yi8

Hi Jim,

I was getting some distortion on your recording...perhaps it is only me?

Ian

Alright, Jim good job!

I heard that hum too; were you using a guitar with humbuckers or something? It's only noticeable at higher volumes.

What style did you use; that WAS a good choice. If possible, I would suggest a different harmony setting. The song begs for that upper fifth. Otherwise, fine job!

The thing you have to watch out for on songs like Midnight Rider is that the bass line IS the melody (or hook, at least).

Try switching off the A BASS part, and PLAYING the correct bass line (you can still chord with your right), or chord with your left and play the bass line with your RH (transposed down, naturally!). You will find all kinds of styles work pretty well as long as you nail the bass part...

Jim,

I was getting distortion on the the whole recording...vocals included.

Ian

Ian, I don't know what to say. Playing it with windows media player on my laptop, full volume, flat eq, through phones, is a bit loud but no discernable distortion here. Are you listening with flat eq?

And Casp, What hum do you hear? Is it noticeable when no vocals are present?

I can re-record it a bit more subdued. In fact I will. Hopefully we will get rid of that distortion.

Diki, I hadn't even listened to this song in years and had no idea about the bass part. I thought the style worked pretty well for the song. Added the latin percussion multipad throughout. I perform it in a different key from the original also (A vs D)and I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned. In fact if that wasn't caught I feel my presentation works well enough on it's own merit.

Whats most interesting, I think, and no one mentioned anything about this, is that the entire vocal you listen to is nothing but the harmonizer. You don't even hear my original voice until the end where I do not chord with left hand for a chorus.
I think the harmonizer sounds pretty realistic and not too mechanical/robotic, whatever, as no one even caught this?

Casp, that's why you are not hearing the harmony you expect to because you are ONLY hearing the harmony and not my voice with it.

Anyways I had fun with it. Man I love this board.
Thanks for listening and your comments,
Maybe next time I'll do a song I know better.
Jim

Ok, Maybe this explains something, though why I do not hear the distortion somewhat baffles me. Anyways the 1st mp3 posted was recorded onto the usb storage then played through a behringer headphone mixer with both bass and treble added, then recorded using cakewalk music creater 2003, and converted to mp3 using cakewalk and It may have recorded hot, though it sounded ok to me.
Now then, this is the original recorded to usb and then converted directly to mp3 using windows media players audio conversion at 192 bit rate. To my ears it's every bit as hot.

Please let me know if the distortion exists in this, the original recording. If so then the whole number needs to be re-recorded.

Thank you again for your input,
Jim

Woops forgot to add link http://www.box.net/shared/legrc4tzpv

[This message has been edited by OldNewb (edited 09-13-2007).]

Oh Casp, I'm sorry, you asked what style was used. It was the same style as used on the "Improv at The Pad" I recorded a few days earlier. The RockGtrBallad style.
I increased tempo from 75 bpm to 93bpm,
changed the S.Art WarmElectric (right 1) voice to the Live! SlideSteel, added latin LatinPerc3 multipad (2nd varriation) and used the 2nd style variation throughout, hitting the Break button during the instrumental.

With "Improv at The Pad" the entire song was done using a repeated 2nd intro and then using the 2nd variation as the break.
Amazing what can be done with some experimenting.
I've honestly never had so much fun in my life as the last few years since I found this forum and picked up my 1st decent arranger keyboard the psr 2100.
Any other questions I'd be happy to answer.
Ohhh, this was done live, one take. Nothing was added using cakewalk other than tweaking the bass and treble to my taste through my headphone mixer (on the 1st mp3)
Thank you again for listening and for your input.
Jim

Following Diki's response, I went down and tried a couple slow rock styles with only drums and bass - sure enough, I could get that Midnight Rider feel. So that works.

I've posed this question before - if you're going to use drums and left hand bass, why are you buying a $3000 behemoth that's supposed to do everything but wipe your butt?

I already know the reply, but go ahead anyway; I asked for it. And while you're typing that, I'll read up on the XK-1 again.

OK, the newer mp3 is cleaner and the effects on the harmonizer sound much stronger - too strong. And when you sing "not gonna let em' catch me, no..." you should sing that note UP not down. Now that you've let the cat out of the bag, I listened to the vocals minus the original; mostly OK. Why didn't you want your original voice (note) there?

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 09-13-2007).]

Well, I wasn't going to comment much on anything about the demo, mostly because I thought someone was pulling my leg...

OF COURSE there wasn't any original voice there. OF COURSE it sounded like bad Alvin and the Chipmunks. OF COURSE it wasn't even the right chords, and the style was nothing like the original. (It often helps to go back and listen to the original BEFORE you choose a style!). But other than that...

Thanks for playing...

But as a demo of the S900.... well, I wouldn't buy one for that harmonizer, for one thing, and if that's Yamaha's idea of Southern Rock, well, I wouldn't use one in Dixie if I were you!